As fans of cronuts and cake pops can attest, food trends come and go. So how can you tell which tastes are trending right now?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to deduce which local businesses have been most discussed this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Houston businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increased their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.
Read on to see which spots are riding a trend this summer.
BurgerIM
Open since November, this traditional American spot, which offers burgers, sandwiches and more, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "American (Traditional)" on Yelp.
Citywide, traditional American spots saw a median 3.3% increase in new reviews over the past month, but BurgerIM saw a 50% increase, with a slight upward trend from a four-star rating a month ago to 4.5 stars today. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis Burgerim's review count increased by more than 550%.
It's not the only trending outlier in the traditional American category: Live Sports Bar & Grill has seen a 6.5% increase in reviews.
BurgerIM is an Israeli-based franchise with locations across the country. Located at 3520 S. Shepherd Drive in Greenway / Upper Kirby Area, it offers burgers, chicken and sides. The menu has 3-ounce sliders, as well as 1/3 and 1/4-pound options. Look for the Spanish beef burger (habanero aioli, grilled jalapeño, leaf lettuce and pepper jack cheese) as well as the duo combo with Cajun fries. (Check out the entire menu here.)
Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Willowbrook's Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ, the Japanese and Asian fusion spot, which offers barbecue and more, is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Barbeque" on Yelp saw a median 3.5% increase in new reviews over the past month, Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ bagged a staggering 133.3%increase in new reviews within that timeframe, with a slight downward trend from a 4.5-star rating a month ago to its current four stars.
This franchise has more than 700 outposts worldwide. Open at 7748 Cypress Creek Parkway since March, Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ offers noodles, rice, and of course, seafood, beef, poultry and pork that diners can grill at the table. From the large menu, start with the garlic fried rice and try the Harami skirt steak, spicy pork or miso butter salmon. (Here's the entire menu.)
Krab Queenz
Briarforest Area's Krab Queenz is also making waves. Open since November at 10852 Westheimer Road, the well-established drive-thru bar and Cajun/Creole spot, which offers seafood and more, has seen a 16.2%bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 3.5% for all businesses tagged "Seafood" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis Krab Queenz's review count increased by more than 230%.
Krab Queenz offers crab, catfish, shrimp, salads and sandwiches. On the menu, look for boiled or fried seafood plates that include sides like sausage, potatoes and corn. Over the past month, it's seen its Yelp rating improve from 2.5 stars to three stars.
Theodore Rex
Downtown Houston's Theodore Rex is the city's buzziest New American spot by the numbers.
The New American and modern European spot, which opened at 1302 Nance St. in 2017, increased its new review count by 8.5%over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 2.8% for the Yelp category "American (New)." It outperformed the previous month by gaining 5.0 times more reviews than expected based on past performance.
Theodore Rex offers a small menu with salad, seafood, soup, pasta and beef options. Yelpers recommend ordering the hand-rolled farfalle pasta (in sauce vin jaune, with Barese chard and braised rabbit) and the shaved loin and rib of Wagyu (with La Ratte potatoes warmed in cultured butter, anchovy and grilled parsley). (Explore the menu here.)
Decadent Café and Dessert Bar
Afton Oaks / River Oaks Area's Decadent Café and Dessert Bar is currently on the upswing in the breakfast and brunch category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp saw a median 3.1% increase in new reviews over the past month, this cafe and breakfast and brunch spot, which offers desserts and more, increased its new reviews by 17.8% — and kept its rating consistent at four stars. Review counts increased by more than 160% on a month-to-month basis.
Open for business at 4340 Westheimer Road, Suite 150, since January, the business offers coffee, smoothies, breakfast sandwiches, baked goods and more than 30 desserts made from scratch daily. Menu standouts include the West Coast Signature Waffles topped with fresh berries, as well as the cookie sandwich and the brownie skillet (warm and fresh brownie topped with vanilla bean gelato and drizzled with caramel and chocolate sauce). (Here's the entire menu.)
This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
